Kaseys Kornertag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-15773782015-03-29T20:37:33-06:00gardening, crafts, cooking, photography, decorating, animals TypePadOut like a Lambtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401bb08121309970d2015-03-29T20:37:33-06:002015-03-30T14:24:11-06:00That's the way our March is predicted to end this year. I feel almost guilty putting that in black & white when I know half the country has been unseasonably cold. For once, not our half! The gardens are responding...Kathleen

That's the way our March is predicted to end this year.

I feel almost guilty putting that in black & white when I know half the country has been unseasonably cold.

For once, not our half!

The gardens are responding to the days of sun and warmth.

Growing.

Erupting into bloom.

Narcissi 'Derringer'

Every week more Narcissi dot the beds with patches of color, filling in the landscape & erasing the winter brown.

Hellebores are at their peak now, above: 'Kingston Cardinal' with 'Phoebe' in the background.

'Kingston Cardinal' is another double but darker than 'Phoebe' & without any spotting.

Below: A longer view of 'Phoebe'

After two years of having my focus diverted, this spring I've been trying to make up ground.

Above: Hyacinth 'Firelights'

It would be cheesy to equate the time spent to the industriousness of bees.

But I feel a kinship. Pruning. Raking. Readying....

This year I want to stay in front of the chores and not lag behind.

Above: Leucojum 'Gravetye Giant'

We know all too well how hard it is to catch up from the latter.

Above: Amaryllis 'Double Dream'

Once the garden takes off, there's no slowing it down.

So exciting to be on that verge.

This week, the city begins weekly pick-ups of our yard waste cart ~ a real signal of the season.

Mine is FULL! No surprise there!

I'm planning to break a bit from outdoor chores the next few days & catch up elsewhere.

Unless the roses call my name too loudly, begging to be pruned! They are next on my list....

What's on yours?????

Spring arrivestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401b7c768f48a970b2015-03-22T21:02:38-06:002015-03-22T21:06:14-06:00amidst a flurry of activity. My company is gone. The yard waste container has been filled & refilled. The rose standards have been brought out of the garage, re-potted with new potting soil, and watered well. They may end up...Kathleen

amidst a flurry of activity.

My company is gone.

The yard waste container has been filled & refilled.

The rose standards have been brought out of the garage, re-potted with new potting soil,

and watered well.

They may end up back in the garage, it is only the end of March, but once it's warm for good, they'll be ready to go!!

That makes me feel slightly ahead of the "game" this year ~ instead of behind like usual!

We'll see how long the feeling lasts...

Everything else was given a big drink along with the roses,

which was a good time to review the garden.

Peonies are up everywhere.

Along with daffodils,

and more daffodils.

A thankful thing, since the bunnies have eaten EVERY tulip in the garden except for what was planted in containers.

So glad I took the time to do that last fall, else there would be zero.

Above: Tulip bulbs & perennials overwintered in garage, I think they were happy to see daylight!

Hellebore 'Phoebe' is also up and blowing everything around it away....

My favorite Hellebore by far in the garden.

Plus there are a few crocus but far less than there should be???

I know the ones in the front garden were eaten by voles. *sigh* Working with nature is a process, isn't it??

So many more signs of life, but I'll stop there because this girl is TIRED! After I rest up, I promise to return with more updates....

Meanwhile, Happy Spring everyone!!! The season we've all been waiting for is upon us. Hallelujah! We made it thru another winter! :)

trio of Amaryllis tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401bb0807a4cb970d2015-03-16T00:41:01-06:002015-03-16T10:02:05-06:00Just a quick post tonight as I have company in town for the week (and didn't get my act together to compose anything before they arrived!) Luckily I'd just taken a few updated photos of Amaryllis 'Half & Half.' which...Kathleen

Just a quick post tonight as I have company in town for the week (and didn't get my act together to compose anything before they arrived!)

Luckily I'd just taken a few updated photos of Amaryllis 'Half & Half.'

which is absolutely glorious right now.

The new photos show it off much more accurately than the ones posted last week.

Amaryllis 'Exotic Nymph' started unfurling early this week too:

This bulb is from last year,

which was the first time I'd ever grown her & she quickly climbed to the top of my favorites list.

I once wrote that 'Cherry Nymph' was the perfect red Amaryllis and each time I see it bloom, I believe it more and more.

The very first time I tried this bulb, it bloomed two double stalks simultaneously at Christmas.

It was the perfect holiday accent.

Finally my daughter celebrated a birthday this past week.

There were flowers,

fancy place settings with dainty linen napkins,

and a four layer chocolate cake with raspberry filling and white chocolate raspberry frosting:

I am not the best cake decorator, it took me forever to get it to look even this good, but I can tell you the taste was out-of-this-world, especially the frosting.

I found the recipe on Pinterest. If you want to try it click here. (I encourage you to do so if only for the sake of seeing how truly gorgeous this cake is in the hands of a "real" cake decorator.) I promise you will NOT be disappointed!

lovely thingstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401bb07fd3e3c970d2015-03-08T15:30:35-06:002015-03-08T15:59:38-06:00When I flipped my calendar last Sunday, (The Simple Life by Karen H. Good) from February to March, the saying this month said "just think of lovely things." Above: Royal Albert "American Beauty" China Thinking of "lovely things" most likely...Kathleen

When I flipped my calendar last Sunday, (The Simple Life by Karen H. Good) from February to March, the saying this month said "just think of lovely things."

Above: Royal Albert "American Beauty" China

Thinking of "lovely things" most likely means different subject matter for all of us but hopefully there's at least a little overlap?

At the top of my list is beautiful china & silverware.

A sweet Persian cat ranks right up there too!

A new spring wreath, a reminder that warmer days are just around the corner, seems especially lovely today.

This time of year, Amaryllis are still "go-to" blooms. This one is "Half & Half."

One I've never grown before.

I have a couple more Amaryllis about to open, then I'm hoping we can transition to blooms straight out of the garden!

That is the loveliest thought of all!!!

This week the weather calls for blue skies and warm temperatures.

Another lovely thought....

I don't know about you, but all this thinking and looking at lovely things has me in a very zen place. What a "lovely" way to start the week!!!!

Hyacinths 'Eros' & 'Dark Dimension'tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401b7c756e2f7970b2015-03-01T13:04:58-07:002015-03-01T13:38:36-07:00A lovely March greeting to you all. Very soon, the garden will look like the photo above!!! I know ~ hard to believe when, out the window, the landscape is still draped in white. But we're almost there!!! Hang on.......Kathleen

A lovely March greeting to you all.

Very soon, the garden will look like the photo above!!!

I know ~ hard to believe when, out the window, the landscape is still draped in white.

But we're almost there!!! Hang on....

I think the Robins know it too. This one plumped up so much against the cold, he/she looks enormous!

With all the snow and frigid temps outdoors, I am contenting myself with indoor activities & blooms.

The hyacinth bulbs, started weeks ago in the refrigerator, are finally paying dividends with blooms at a time most needed.

Above: Buds on 'Eros." Even before it blooms you can tell it's a special hyacinth.

An assessment which rings truer & truer as the days pass & the buds unfurl.

Wow, isn't that a vision of double delightful loveliness?

Cloaked in heavenly scent. You'll have to take my word for that!

Then there's 'Dark Dimension.'

Which I photographed much better last year (click here if you'd like to see those photos again.) It's a stunning Hyacinth with it's very unusual coloring of royal blue and indigo. So striking, it topped my list of bulbs I *had* to repeat forcing.

Btw, last years bulbs were planted in the garden when they finished blooming so I'm hoping to see them out there soon too. :)

Only three varieties were forced this Spring, 'Dark Dimension,' 'Eros,' and 'Hollyhock.'

'Hollyhock' in the catalog is shown as a deep pinky-red but one of my bulbs turned out to be a pale PINK!

Maybe it got mixed up in sorting or the colors sometimes vary?? Either way, you know I'm not complaining!!!

Above: perched on the windowsill with 'Dark Dimension' in the background.

Someone who isn't bothered one iota about what's happening outdoors:

Little Ivory.

If only we could all adopt that relaxed attitude!!!!!

Now cheers to March & the warm, sunny days that lie ahead. May they show up soon, last long and melt the piles of snow quickly!

spring birdcage tag & hyacinthstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401bb07f58152970d2015-02-22T12:23:45-07:002015-02-22T14:13:48-07:00It's been snowing for over 24 hours here, we have at least 8" on the ground but that isn't stopping me from thinking about Spring! No sirree! I'm on a mission to plow thru this "little" setback the same efficient...Kathleen

It's been snowing for over 24 hours here, we have at least 8" on the ground but that isn't stopping me from thinking about Spring!

No sirree!

I'm on a mission to plow thru this "little" setback the same efficient way the streets are being cleared.

We can make it now ~ we're in the last week of February!

And in two more weeks, we'll set the clocks forward, giving us more evening daylight ~ from that point on, we'll be coasting. :)

No way this cold day is going to dampen my spirits or enthusiasm for the season "just around the corner."

While the snow was swirling yesterday, I pulled out more old papercrafting supplies and created this sweet tag. Birdcage cling stamp by TPC Studio, bee embellishments by K&Co.

It "spoke" of Spring to me....

We won't need the paper variety soon, the bees will be out for real before we know it.

i

On the windowsill, there are lots of forced hyacinths waiting to bloom & polish the chill off the remaining days of winter.

Like the three popped into a metal container & hung outside during an unseasonably warm day last week.

It warmed my heart to see a flower outdoors again, even if it was only temporary.

In not so many days, there will be more, they are there, waiting patiently underneath the snow.

For the next sunny day...

The garden will be back to life in no time now. I'm oh so ready!!! I bet you are too?!!!

p.s. This little girl became part of our family exactly one year ago today.

I think she knows she's found her forever home!

2014 garden additionstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401b7c7389a49970b2015-02-15T16:21:36-07:002015-02-15T20:47:10-07:00Just like many of you, I'm starting to think about the 2015 garden. What it will look like. What should be added, subtracted, repeated.... Above: Ipomoea x imperialis 'Sunrise Serenade' Double morning glory 'Sunrise serenade' should definitely be repeated. Afterall,...Kathleen

I would also like to try Amaranthus 'caudatus' (love-lies-bleeding) again.

I squeezed it into a container last summer, with too many other inhabitants, and the photo below is the best it looked before stalling out and more or less failing to thrive.

Lesson learned here: Pace myself, there's always next year. It sure didn't pay off trying to have everything at once when space is a consideration.

Fuchsia magellanica 'Lady's Eardrops' overwintered indoors so it will definitely be back in the 2015 garden.

Such a very elegant fuchsia...

Thanks for going along on this part of the review with me ~ looking back at the previous seasons garden is a "must do" for me each year.

The photos are reminders of failures & successes and give me a jump start on planning. This year, when I want to strive toward a more "maintenance-free" garden, reviewing is even more important. I want to confine the annuals & tender plants to containers (and to a minimum) and plant more "hardy" plants directly into the garden. We'll see how that manifests.

I'm curious how everyone else plans? Do you keep a list of plants you want to add (mental or physical) or work from another angle???

Valentine butterfly cardtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401bb07ecb6a1970d2015-02-08T14:49:00-07:002015-02-08T23:47:28-07:00There has been some "craftiness" going on around here. Starting with handmade Valentine's. I didn't intend to make any this year. I purchased a few store bought cards, addressed them, sent them out & thought I was DONE. THEN something...Kathleen

There has been some "craftiness" going on around here.

Starting with handmade Valentine's.

I didn't intend to make any this year.

I purchased a few store bought cards, addressed them, sent them out & thought I was DONE.

THEN something came over me ~ not sure what?? ~ and out came the crafting supplies & a few handmade ones were "born."

These were all created using old, old, old supplies so I hope no one wants to re-create them!

It would probably be impossible, at the very least, frustrating to find the supplies.

I live in a town that hand stamps Valentine's with a special message each year which is why I always try to mail a few out.

I've even thought of sending Valentine's instead of Christmas cards (because of the special stamping) but so far, I haven't carried out that thought....

Creating the Valentine's ignited some spark in me because the next thing I knew, a banner was being crafted.

Not the best, most professionally made banner, but nonetheless, a banner!!

I thought it would dress up the mirror which was looking a little bare after removing the Christmas decorations.

Finally, after hanging the banner, the idea popped in my head to thread some alphabet beads on wire & stick them to the pot at the bottom right of above photo.

Where did that come from?

Voila! Now I'm truly done.

That's more decorating for this holiday then I usually do!

I wish I would have gotten in gear sooner. There's only one week to go then I guess even this little bit will all have to come down too. :(

Anyone else made anything for Valentine's? Sent any cards?? or is this an activity now mostly for school-age kids???

antique silver fan vasetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401b8d0ccfb1a970c2015-02-01T19:47:49-07:002015-02-01T20:25:39-07:00The past week was one of highs and lows. The highs ~ two days of 70 degree weather!!! For January, that is a TRUE GIFT. :) I spent both days doing yard clean-up, fixing my fence, washing the car &...Kathleen

The past week was one of highs and lows. The highs ~ two days of 70 degree weather!!!

That's where the roses come in ~ his wife brought them to me after the service.

I picked the silver fan vase to display them. I love how narrow it is but yet the width makes it possible to create a 'substantial" looking centerpiece.

Above: on my dining room turntable...

The vase was picked up at an antique store a few years ago when I didn't even realize what it was. I just thought it looked cool! Enter Pinterest ~ the answer to everything.... :)

Amaryllis 'Charisma' also opened this week.

Most of my Amaryllis have been slow to bud this year and I'm not sure why?

Aside from not getting them outside last summer, all their other care has been the same as usual.

'Charisma' is a pretty one. The speckles of red are what I like the most about it.

There will be other Amaryllis appearing on the blog soon but I hope this one lasts till Valentine's.

Meanwhile, RIP Mr. Howard. We will miss you in the cul-de-sac.

p.s. I also had snowdrops open this past week.

How exciting is that?? Blooms in January!!! Hard to beat....

the color 'Apricot' in the gardentag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e550440213883401a73dfe29c3970d2015-01-25T20:35:48-07:002015-01-25T20:48:42-07:00I always say (and think) PINK is my favorite color in the garden but upon reviewing some of my favorite garden photos I need to check myself on that. It seems the more delicate APRICOT color is actually the one...Kathleen

I always say (and think) PINK is my favorite color in the garden but upon reviewing some of my favorite garden photos I need to check myself on that. It seems the more delicate APRICOT color is actually the one that makes me swoon.

I'm always surprised by the variety of blooms to be found in what you would think would be the "slim pickin's" part of the color wheel.

Above: Bearded Iris 'Beverly Sills'

As I begin planning the 2015 garden, I notice this color continues to surface again & again on my wish list.

Above: David Austin rose 'Abraham Darby'

It's a wonder my garden contains any other color....

Above: Echinacea 'Summer Sky'

I don't think much will change in the upcoming season.

Salmon poppy

It's just a matter of what new additions are available that fit into my plan for less maintenance.

Peony 'Coral Charm'

Unless I get totally sidetracked by something sensationally apricot and throw "the plan" to the 'curb.'

Above: Thunbergia 'Spanish Eyes'

A distinct possibility and one I know I will have to discipline myself to keep in check....

Above: Brugmansia 'Ecuador Pink'

What about you? Is there a color you find completely irresistible?? One that turns up over and over again in your garden??? One that NO WAY is going to be left at the greenhouse but will always go home with you??